- - New Book Revisits Key Moment in Prince William and Prince Harry’s Feud as Physical Fight Claim Is Questioned

Meredith KileFebruary 18, 2026 at 9:50 AM

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Prince William and Prince Harry

Yui Mok - WPA Pool/Getty Images

A new biography revisits a pivotal moment in Prince William and Prince Harry’s long-running feud, questioning Prince Harry’s claim that an argument escalated into a physical fight

The account, published in an excerpt by The Mirror, cites a source who says tensions were high but insists the confrontation did not turn violent

Prince Harry previously detailed the alleged altercation in his 2023 memoir Spare

A new book about Prince William and Kate Middleton is pushing back on one of Prince Harry’s most explosive allegations against his brother.

In William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story, out March 10, author Russell Myers cites a source who denies that an argument between Prince William and Prince Harry over Meghan Markle ever turned physical — contradicting Harry’s account in his 2023 memoir, Spare.

An excerpt of the biography published by The Mirror on Feb. 16 describes Harry’s claim that William physically attacked him as “massively overblown.”

"It was a cheap shot [from Harry] to present such an argument. Tensions were running very high, and yes, there certainly were cross words exchanged that on reflection were regrettable, but the prince [William] is adamant there was no physical violence," a source says in the upcoming book, according to the outlet.

PEOPLE has reached out to Kensington Palace and a spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex for comment.

Another source featured in the book adds that palace staff had been “ground down” during the period in question.

"It wasn’t peddling a tabloid narrative to stick up for staff that were deeply unhappy to the point of walking away or having their mental health being affected," the source says.

'William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story'

Pegasus Books

In Spare, Prince Harry wrote that Prince William confronted him in 2019 about Meghan at Harry's then-home of Nottingham Cottage, located on the grounds of Kensington Palace. Harry claimed the disagreement started when William called his wife "difficult," "rude" and "abrasive," to which Harry replied that his brother was simply "parrot[ing of] the press narrative."

Prince Harry wrote that his brother "called me names" and claimed he was trying to help. Harry claimed he replied, "Are you serious? Help me? Sorry — is that what you call this? Helping me?" He then said he tried to diffuse the situation by offering Prince William a glass of water before the situation escalated.

"He set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast," Harry wrote in Spare. "He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog's bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out."

"Spare" by Prince Harry.

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" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/f94JDG.G3_CJAjDYVufunQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODg3/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_people_articles_471/9f2f8c98ad63aed29c5c70bf2c7eb92b class=caas-img>"Spare" by Prince Harry.

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While promoting Spare, Prince Harry did multiple interviews in which he spoke about the alleged argument. During a sitdown with 60 Minutes' Anderson Cooper, Harry told the host that William was reacting to misinformation about him and Meghan.

"It was a buildup of — frustration, I think, on his part," Harry said. "It was at a time where he was being told certain things by people within his office. And at the same time, he was consuming a lot of the tabloid press, a lot of the stories. And he had a few issues which were based not on reality. And I was defending my wife. And he was coming for my wife — she wasn't there at the time but through the things that he was saying. I was defending myself."

Prince Harry said his brother apologized, but added, "It was a pretty nasty experience."

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Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”